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“Sixty-Five Percent of all Traffic Deaths are Caused by
Drunk Drivers.”

A graphically gory TV ad by Citizens Against Legalizing Liquor,
a group opposed to the legal sale of wine and distilled spirits
in Florida’s Santa Rosa County asserts that “sixty-five
percent of all traffic deaths are caused by drunk drivers.”
In reality about 13 percent of all traffic deaths are known to involve
(much less be caused by) intoxicated drivers.

The anti-alcohol group insists that lifting the prohibition against
wine and distilled spirits would lead to more drunken driving. However,
it appears that there have been fewer drunken driving arrests
in Florida’s Escambia County since it became “wet”
in 2001. This isn’t surprising. A study of about 39,000 alcohol-related
traffic accidents in wet compared to dry counties in Kentucky found
that a higher proportion of dry counties' residents are involved
in such crashes. The analysis suggests that residents of dry counties
have to drive farther from their homes to consume alcohol, thus
increasing impaired driving (DWI/DUI) exposure.

A petition by the Grow Our Local Economy committee has led to a
referendum on the issue of legalizing the sale of wine and spirits
in the county.

The owner of an Italian restaurant says that customers often walk
out when they learn that they can’t order a drink with their
meals. He explains that people want wine with Italian food and that
he loses about ten tables a week because of the county’s prohibition.
Diners can obtain full service at restaurants a few miles away in
neighboring counties. Without the ability to serve alcohol, his
business is prevented from becoming a more profitable upscale restaurant.

But to many opponents of alcohol it’s a matter of religion.
The Rev. David Spencer, a Southern Baptist Minister and vocal supporter
of continuing the prohibition, considers alcohol and its consumption
immoral.

The religious leader is worried over the outcome of the referendum
because of major demographic changes since the last referendum in
1993. Over the last dozen years the county has grown about 49 percent.
Many of the new residents are from outside the Bible Belt. Because
of their religion, income and social status they may be more likely
to oppose the prohibition.

Rev. Spencer says he is praying that the prohibition against the
sale of wine and liquor will remain in force.